


in the loop

by Lila17



Category: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, F/M, Kinda, god I love MJ
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 22:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17537777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lila17/pseuds/Lila17
Summary: The costume is too perfect. MJ could almost believe it was Peter there if she wasn’t looking closely, and she would give anything in the world for it to be him. But it’s not, and that hurts more than she ever expected it would.She looks away. She can’t keep looking at this guy in a Spider-Man suit who’s not her Peter.





	in the loop

And MJ doesn’t even particularly like the people at her table.

She can see from a mile away that none of them would have ever cared to speak to her before she became New York’s most famous widow, and that they never really cared about Spider-Man beyond how much money they could make through merchandise. Now that he’s dead, of course, they’re sending boatloads of passably genuine-sounding sympathy her way.

And also dropping hints that they’d love to be involved with the booming market for Spider-Man memorial merchandise now, if it’s okay with her.

The woman across from her loudly declares at the beginning that she’s on a gluten-free diet, and then proceeds to steadily eat most of their bread when she doesn’t think they’re looking. The basket is basically dead center on the table- how can there be a moment when none of them are looking?

At some point, the man on her left reaches for some more bread and his hand smacks against the empty bottom. This sets off some kind of argument because the gluten-free woman doesn’t want to get more bread because obviously she doesn’t eat it, the man on her left doesn’t want to get it because he doesn’t want to leave his pregnant wife, and his wife can’t get it because she’s pregnant-but-only-three-weeks-so-you-can’t-see-it.

It all grates on her nerves, so she snaps and graciously cuts across them to offer to get the bread. She leaves before one of them can protest that the trauma of a dead spouse should also somehow disqualify her from having to do it.

She walks toward the first waiter she sees, and.

In the loop- in the loop. That’s what she demanded Peter do when he first told her he was Spider-Man. Keep her in the loop. No matter what, she had to know what was going on (not particularly hard when May helped Peter on so many of his big cases and she was always willing to help fill MJ in), and if he thought it would legitimately put her in danger to know too much then she had to at least know that something of that level was going on. So make no mistake, she knows exactly who Peter was fighting when he died.

And make no mistake, the group of people standing there aren’t waiters. They’re near the door so she speeds up her walking to get close to them before they get the chance to leave.

The man in the suit that’s closest to how Peter’s was- and it’s close, too close, it’s not cheap plastic or fabric it actually looks like the right material- is arguing about something with the woman with the white and pink costume. MJ cuts in.

“Hello?”

The man whips around. “Oh wow.”

Wow is exactly right. That suit isn’t a replica, she can tell now, it’s the real deal. And- oh, she can literally see the webshooters on his wrists.

 _Who are you?_ she thinks, frowning internally.

At that point she realizes that she needs to actually say something. “Um, I just wondered if...we could have some more bread at table twelve,” she says lamely.

The guy’s eyes widen. “Yeah! I’m just, I’m really sorry.”

Duh. He’s not a waiter, he can’t actually get this bread. “Oh, don’t be sorry. It’s just bread.” She surreptitiously looks around at the others in the group- pink and white woman has her hand on her face while a man all in black stands impassively. For both of them- all of them- the way they hold themselves speaks volumes.

“No,” the guy says, and something in his voice makes her eyes snap back. The white eye holes on his mask are so wide. “I wasn’t _there_ when you needed me.”

And- and great, shit, because for a second it hurts so much it takes her breath away.

The costume is too perfect. She could almost believe it was Peter there if she wasn’t looking closely, and she would give anything in the world for it to be him. But it’s not, and that hurts more than she ever expected it would.

She looks away. She can’t keep looking at this guy in a Spider-Man suit who’s not her Peter.

“Mm-hm,” she says, nodding, as if she’s not struggling to breathe over here.

“And I didn’t even try,” the- Spider-Man?- says.

He’s overselling it. Who even cares if a random waiter can’t get more bread? If they’re all suited up and here then they, whoever they are, must be trying to take down Fisk. They have a job to do. “It’s fine,” she gets out, forcing herself to look at him again. “I should really get going-”

And that’s when it hits her.

This isn’t perfect- this is beyond perfect. She’s been talking to people dressed in Spider-Man costumes all day, all week, and sure none of them had the powers, but still. There’s no reason why she should be freaking out so hard except that…

The height. The voice- the voice. It’s a little different so she didn’t realize, but it’s so close. She’s not looking at them seeing Spider-Man- this person is screaming Peter Parker in her face. And he’s not overselling it, he’s been saying things and looking at her like he knows her, like he means something else, and-

And it’s not her Peter. It’s still not her Peter.

She lets none of this show on her face, because really the last thing they need is someone making a scene and attracting Fisk’s attention.

“I know I could do better if I just had another chance to give you...the bread that you deserve,” he says. She’s looking at him and seeing someone else, and he’s looking at her and seeing someone else. What a happy little pair we are, she thinks. And also that wow, there’s a loop here that she was _incredibly_ outside of.

“Are you okay-?” She starts to say, before the other woman cuts her off.

“Ma’am, we’ll take care of that bread right now,” she says crisp and clean, and MJ takes that as her out.

“It’s been nice, uh, talking to you,” she says, and turns away.

———————-

She doesn’t go back to her table, because what would even be the point. She only came here in the first place just to see what Fisk’s game was, but if a whole crowd of people with spider-powers is somehow here then it’s as good as handled. But there’ll have to be a fight first, and that’s as good a reason as any to leave now.

A man with greyish skin stops her on the way out from the dining hall, asks where she’s going, so Mary Jane Parker smiles sweetly and says the ladies’ room. His name is Tombstone. Peter’s fought him twice before.

As she’s walking out the building rumbles ever so slightly, and if the promise of a fight was a metaphorical exit sign then that’s a blaring alarm. She calls in a quick tip to the police station about it and slips off her heels before dialing May’s number. She picks up just as MJ is walking out the front door.

“Hi, May. Fill me in.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t really know what Mary Jane’s personality is like in the comics, so if it doesn’t fit with that, uh, sorry. Thanks for reading y’all


End file.
